Wasteland 2: "The classic RPG is back for good,” says Brian Fargo

After the success Double Fine and InXile Entertainment found over Kickstarter with Double Fine Adventure and Wasteland 2, respectively, it was only a matter of time until the floodgates opened.

Shadowrun Returns, Grim Dawn, Star Command and Obsidian’s Project Eternity have all followed with successful campaigns in recent months, and while it looks like the classic RPG is making a successful comeback after years of lingering in obscurity, we have to wonder whether this is simply a flash in the pan revival or a move with a little longevity. In an interview with games™, Wasteland 2 developer Brian Fargo discusses the huge impact of Kickstarter on the industry and the games we will be playing for generations to come.

“I think it is quite obvious that the classic RPG is back for good,” states Fargo wholeheartedly. “When I travelled the world I was always asked about creating another RPG, but unfortunately I had retailers and publishers standing in the way. These barriers have been moved aside so that the players can decide what they want instead of a third-party who thinks what might work. It’s beautiful.”

But what is it about the classic RPG that has players so desperate for more? Fargo believes it’s the way they give the player control over their world and destiny. “Ultimately, the thing that makes almost every great game is a strong sense of cause and effect almost no matter what the genre. It could be great physics in a game, destructible items or a narrative like ours. The classic RPGs had a wonderful and deep cause and effect that people could feel, and that is a timeless element.”

For more musing on the return of the classic RPG, the launch of the Wii U and to celebrate games™’s 10th anniversary see issue 129 of games™, which features the full interview with Brian Fargo, Obsidian developer Chris Avellone and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the very first issue of games™. games™ issue 129 is on sale 22 November in both print and half-price digital formats.